Method of preserving timber



(No Medal.)

I J. s. GEORGE.

METHOD OF PRESERVING TIMBER.

No. 583,587. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

Fllla.

FNOTU-UTHQ WA nu mu I) c UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN SIMPSON GEORGE, OF NEWPORT,OREGON.

METHOD OF PRESERVING TIMBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,587, dated February 5, 1895.

Application filed March 2, 1898. Serial No, 464,396. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SIMPSON GEORGE, of Newport, in the county of Benton and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of PreservingTimber; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is a simple, inexpensive and efieotive method of preserving timber, more particularly piles, from the ravage of the teredo and other marine insects.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, n which I have set forth fully the details and important features thereof and illustrated the apparatus in the accompanying drawings, 1n which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.

My invention consists essentially of forcing, by means of the apparatus shown, the compound described hereinafter, into the pores of the pile and afterward passing a current of electricity through the timber.

The compound used in my improved process consists of the following ingredients mixed in the following proportions: iron sulphate, two ounces; zinc sulphate, four ounces; water, one gallon which is thoroughly dissolved, and a solution of copper sulphate composed of one and one half pounds of copper sulphate dissolved in one gallon of water.

The apparatus used in forcing the above compound into the pores of the timber is represented iu the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the connection between the conducting pipe and the end of the pile, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A represents the mainconducting pipe, one end of which is connected with a pump or other pressure apparatus, while the other end is connected to the end of pile B by means of the coupling 0 which is formed in two sections D D the smaller D containing an interior thread at one end to engage with a corresponding thread on pipe A, and at its other end is situated a left hand interior thread E which engages with a corresponding interior thread at one end of the large section D, the other end of the latter of which is adapted to be secured to'one end of the pile B. In order to facilitate the turning of the sections D D I have constructed on their outer surfaces the projecting lugs F F.

By means of the apparatus described above, the above mentioned compound is forced into the timber until the latter is completely saturated.

The next step in my improved process consists of passing a current of electricity through the timber by placing the positive pole of a powerful battery at one end and the negative pole at the other end of the pile, which operation deposits the copper in the pores of the wood, after which it is not soluble in salt water.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description, that I have provided a very simple and comparatively inexpensive method of treating timber to make it proof against the ravages of the teredo and other marine insects.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein described process for preserving timber, which consists in forcing a solution of iron sulphate, zinc sulphate and copper sulphate into the pores of the timber and afterward passing a current of electricity throughsaid timber substantially as described and for the purpose set forth,

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN SIMPSON enoaen.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. BRASFIELD, W. B. STOUT. 

